"IF they really want to learn to be more sophisticated they should both take some dance classes for starters--ballroom dancing, ballet. They should learn to appreciate art and fine literature and opera."
"Those two don't have 600 years to learn all that," Khaat said.
"That could be arranged," Escobar said. "On the other hand, someone would have to put up with them for a few centuries until they learned how to be smooth. Truth be told, though, I learned that while I was still human. My father insisted on it. I learned all those things, and fencing, and riding, and..."
"And you had a woman you loved once," she said.
"No," he replied, standing and picking up Abbey to hold her. He admired how much like her mother the toddler already looked. The child was fascinated with the jeweled tie tack he wore on his silk ascot.
"Actually, I didn't," Escobar added. "Not then. My mother was a gorgeous woman, and a lady of royal blood. My father was an aristocrat from old money even then. I simply saw how he treated her in order to make her happy."
"And you learned to seduce but you hever really got involved."
"More or less," he said.
"So they'd have to be womanizers in order to polish off the rough edges," she said, slightly amused.
"Precisely," Marcus replied. Robert swirled the new ingredient into the bottle and handed it to Escobar. Escobar sniffed it and tasted a drop on his fingertip.
"Much better," he said. "That should do nicely now. Thank you." Robert nodded.
"This magic?" Abbey asked Escobar, still fiddling with his tie tack.
"No," he replied. "Its just very old."
"Like you?" she asked.
"Older than me," he replied.
"How long you stay?" she asked.
"Until the doggie is gone," he said.
"He always come back," she sighed. "I no like him. He bad. He smell bad."
"I know," he said. "But you're safe in the house. He won't get in here. We won't let him."
"I kill him if he come in," she said.
"That's a grownup job," he said. "You let us do that." He looked at the others. "You really shouldn't teach her those things."
by 
